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Sudan Tribune

Plural news and views on Sudan

Sudan Tribune

Plural news and views on Sudan

Humanitarian

Humanitarian agencies to reduce aid amid funding crisis in South Sudan

On May 1, 2023, civilians who escaped the conflict-ridden Sudan sought refuge at the UNHCR transit center located in Renk, near the border crossing point in Renk County, Upper Nile State. (Reuters)

On May 1, 2023, civilians who escaped the conflict-ridden Sudan sought refuge at the UNHCR transit center located in Renk, near the border crossing point in Renk County, Upper Nile State. (Reuters photo)

September 6, 2023 (JUBA) – Dwindling resources amidst growing needs have forced humanitarian agencies to prioritize the delivery of vital life-saving support which risks leaving millions behind, the United Nations warned on Wednesday.

All life-saving sectors, including health, nutrition and food security are affected leaving millions of vulnerable people without critical support in a time of crisis.

For food security alone, there are 7.76 million people who face critical, emergency, and catastrophic levels of need, yet resourcing shortfalls mean emergency food assistance must be prioritized for 3.2 million people who face the highest levels of food insecurity, according to humanitarian agencies.

This prioritization of resources is a famine prevention approach, where communities closest to starvation must receive assistance.

However, even for communities on the brink of famine, resourcing constraints mean they receive reduced rations for seven or eight months of the year, usually to protect them when access to food resources are the most challenging which is January to July each year.

“These are not easy decisions to make, and WFP’s priority is to save as many lives as possible,” said Makena Walker, Acting Country Director for the World Food Programme (WFP) in South Sudan.

She added, “We have worked closely with the Government of South Sudan to ensure we’re reaching communities most in need of assistance. The simple fact is that there are not enough resources available to the humanitarian community to meet the needs in South Sudan”.

Extreme levels of food insecurity and malnutrition affect two-thirds of South Sudan’s population, making the country one of the worst food insecurity emergencies in the world.

Many people who are highly food-insecure are in locations with chronic vulnerabilities worsened by frequent climate-related shocks, macro-economic crisis, conflict and insecurity and low agricultural production.

“Vulnerable people in South Sudan suffered multiple interconnected shocks for years. The outlook for these people is grim with new crises unfolding while humanitarian agencies struggle to meet basic needs,” said Peter Van der Auweraert, Acting Humanitarian Coordinator.

The crisis in Sudan triggered an overwhelming influx of refugees, returnees and third-country nationals further aggravating the already fragile humanitarian situation in South Sudan. As such, all humanitarian interventions, including protection of women and girls, food, nutrition, and shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, education experience this funding gap.

Meanwhile aid agencies said the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan, which requests up to $1.7 billion to target 6.8 million people with life-saving assistance and protection services was funded only at 46 per cent as of 5 September.

More than $300 million is urgently to support to people fleeing Sudan into South Sudan.

(ST)

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